THANKFUL

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Lord, in the madness that the Christmas season can be, making out our Christmas gift list, sadly most folks, myself included, have overlooked one person. It’s You, Jesus. What do You want as we celebrate Your birthday? What can we present to the holy baby in the manger? How do we honor the Savior of the world? Because we celebrate that You came from heaven to save us, then it should be a given there is one gift that will please You—our faith. You freely offer Your salvation to all who will call on You for forgiveness and a new life. You never have, nor ever will, coerce us to place our trust in You. Trusting in You is strictly a voluntary action, so, unless I willingly give it, You don’t have my trust.

Trusting You in all circumstances, good or bad, develops our Christlike character and teaches us how to fully live for You. Living by faith, our lives will honor You and bring You glorious recognition before a hostile and skeptical world. Our heavenly Father gave us His greatest gift, You, Jesus, for our first Christmas. May we totally give You our faith and trust this Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Jesus.

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Lord Jesus, when people come in repentance to put their faith in You, most people don’t have a clue what lies ahead.  Until You open their eyes, most have a misconception of who You are and how Your followers act—or should act. Attention new believers: get ready—everything changes. First, we memorize 2 Corinthians 5:17, “[a]nyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” Attitudes undergo a makeover, desires of the old life without You fade. To the amazement of family and friends, our priorities change. “What happened to them?” friends ask. No longer do we care to hang out at our old hang-outs. All those activities we absolutely couldn’t live without doing we now find ourselves living without doing. We’re still human and still imperfect, yet You insist on traveling with us on our earthly journey. Taking time to review the past few weeks or months, we realize how our new identity as a Christ-follower has made us a new person and given us a new purpose in life. When we lived our life for ourselves, we couldn’t understand why Christians act the way they do. Now, we are them!

Holy Spirit, help me live in such a manner that honors You in all things and allows Your love work through me to those in my world. With Your Spirit’s power and authority, Jesus, Amen.

Monday, December 20, 2021

The angels rejoiced when they heard the baby’s cry that pierced the silence even into the furthest corners of he universe.  “He’s there! He has arrived!” they exclaimed. Our heavenly Father smiled that His plan to reconcile man back to Himself was underway.  Lord Jesus, Your long anticipated arrival began Your redemptive journey to the cross. It pleased the Father to send His angels to announce Your arrival to nondescript shepherds instead of the religious royalty of that day. The simple shepherds knew the beauty of pure and unblemished sacrificial lambs. They would truly worship their new king and tell all who would listen of Your Advent. The Father knew the religious nobility wouldn’t believe nor accept You as their Redeemer, since You didn’t come into the world with all the pomp and ceremony as one of “them.” But Lord Jesus, we gladly accept the Christmas story, how You came as a pure, innocent baby, a pure little lamb if you will, to redeem us, the lost sheep who have gone astray, back to the Father (Isaiah 53:6). Jesus, in You we find true love, lasting peace the world cannot understand, joy that remains in good or bad circumstances, and contentment which is found nowhere else. But most of all, thank You for coming to save us and redeem us from our sins.  

Yes, Jesus, You are the reason for the season. Amen.

Friday, December 17, 2021

Lord, we pray again for our dear friends whose lives are forever changed by the deadly tornados. The material losses are staggering, but stuff can be replaced. It shouldn’t surprise us if the survivors and volunteers suffer some form of PTSD, having to deal with the surreal damage. For many, the destruction may open emotions they’ve never experienced, and confronting them may be troubling. Even verbalizing these emotions may present challenges. New levels of anxiety, anger, helplessness, grief may leave them in despair. I’ve lost everything! Where to go? What to do?  How will I survive this new-normal?

Lord, equip Your followers and godly counselors with wisdom and compassion to help and encourage these dear people. Assure them it’s not a lack of faith to acknowledge these emotions, and that denying them only brings more helplessness. Lord God, You have emotions. You exhibit emotions. Likewise, You created us in Your image with these same emotions. For believers, we know the “joy of the Lord is our strength” (Nehemiah 8:10) but help believers and unbelievers realize that you don’t have to “act happy” when your life is turned upside down and your spirit is grieving. Instead, show them how to “Pour out your heart to Him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:8). In their grief, Jesus, let them feel Your embrace, for You said, “blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).

May we all never forget that amid tragedy, You are close. Amen.

Thursday, December 16, 2021,

Lord, the tornados that caused such massive destruction through six states stirred people to action. Your followers—the Church—quickly responded within 24 hours. Christian relief groups sent food trucks, survival supplies, counselors to comfort, and volunteers to assist in the clean-up.  Texas Baptist Men, Samaritan’s Purse, Salvation Army, and numerous Christian agencies throughout the country sent help immediately. Lord, use our love and compassion for the hurting and suffering, our Christlike actions, silence the skeptics, the critics who falsely label us as bigots and haters. All their nonsense goes out the window—if any windows are left in the destruction—as Christ-followers minister comfort and hope to everyone. Believers and non-believers alike lost homes, businesses, schools, and loved ones. Political affiliations, Black, white, vaxxed, un-vaxxed are meaningless. Give Your followers strength and endurance as they demonstrate the selflessness of Galatians 6:2, “Share each other’s burdens and in this way obey the teachings of Christ.” Give them supernatural power to conquer the monumental tasks before them. Show the world that faith in Christ is not just religious sayings and repeating talking points, but faith is active and alive. The Bible is clear on this matter.  James wrote, “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you tells him, ‘Go in peace, stay warm and well fed,’ but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead . . . “ (James 2:15-17). If we don’t meet the physical needs during such a crisis, how can we meet their spiritual needs? The time will come when Your followers can address their spiritual needs.

For we who remain home, may we diligently pray for the rescuers and survivors’ safety and for all to have a life-changing encounter with You, Lord God.  In Your love, Jesus, amen.

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Lord, You’ve been in the wayward-people-delivering business from the beginning. Your people, the ancient Israelites, wandered from You, yet You repeatedly rescued them from destruction with spectacular miracles and brought them back to You. They rejoiced as they reviewed their history and saw how time and again, when defeat looked imminent, You delivered them from their enemies.  In their rejoicing, You said something that took them by surprise. “But forget all that—[what I did in the past}—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland” (Isaiah 43:18,19).

Today, as Your followers reflect on our past, we’re amazed how You were there for us all along. How did we not see Your mercy and goodness at work? The people You sent our way, the unexpected events that went in our favor, the miraculous provisions when the shelves were bare—all these miracles from You. How did Your grace slip past our notice?

I’m excited! I’m expecting You to do something new, Lord. I don’t know how You will do it, but You never run out of ideas. I ain’t seen nuthin’ yet. Amen, Jesus.

Monday, December 13, 2021,

Lord, our hearts are broken, our souls crushed, saddened beyond our endurance at the devastation of the tornados that ripped through five southern states. Pictures of the overwhelming destruction leave us speechless. Many have cried out in their anguish of soul, “God, where are You?” Are we to believe that You still work all things for the good of those who follow You? Your great psalmist David cried out in his anguish of soul, “Why, O Lord, do You stand far away? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?”

Today, like the time King David penned his mournful words, many questions remain unanswered, yet one truth remains: despite life’s good or bad circumstances, You, God, are faithful. Lord, You became a man and experienced everything we experience. Therefore, You do not stand “far away,” yet You cry when we cry, are close to our broken hearts, with us amid our troubles. Your Word clearly reminds us: “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulties, you will not drown. When you walk through the fires of oppression, you will not be burned up, the flames will not consume you, for I am the Lord, your God, Your Savior” (Isaiah 43:2). Comfort those suffering from this deadly destruction, especially those who lost loved ones to eternity.  And open their understanding that You are God and Your grace, love, and provision will comfort  and strengthen them in these most difficult times.

Lord Jesus, You are, and always will be, “Emmanuel,” God with us! Amen.

Thursday, December 9, 2021

Lord Jesus, You never said following You would be easy. As every Christ-follower knows, every time You lead us to a new level of faith, the enemy of our soul fights our every step. When we came to You in repentance, You saved us and immediately canceled everything in our past, as if it never existed. Psalm 103 states You removed our sins from us as far as the east is from the west. Now our spirit forever belongs to You, so the devil can only attack our humanity. He repeatedly lies, claiming our past disqualifies us for Your service. He tried the same ruse with King David, but David found strength in Your character, Lord God. David wrote, “Remember, O Lord, Your compassion and loving devotion, for they are from age to age,” Knowing how dirty the devil lies, was what he wrote next really what was eating at him?. “Remember not the sins of my youth, or my rebellious acts; remember me according to Your loving devotion, because of Your goodness, O Lord.” (Psalm 25:6–7). May all who call on You, Lord, find peace and assurance in Your mercy as David did,

No past, just a bright future with You Jesus. Amen

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Lord, how many times did i feel like quitting? One would think after a period of time I’d throw my hands up and quit when it seemed like nothing would change my wayward loved one. From a heavy heart, how many pales of tears did I shed, seeing my prodigal continually reject Your salvation offer?  But, Lord, You gave me faith to take my hands off my wandering loved one and turn them completely over to You. No amounts of my preaching or scolding or rebuking changed them at all, since, only You, Lord God, can change a prodigal’s heart. Only Your love and grace will transform them.

Holy Spirit, I seek comfort for my broken heart with the truths of Psalm 13:5, “But I trust in Your unfailing love. I will rejoice because You have rescued me [my loved one].” Some may make a radical, sudden change and come to You while others may come to You gradually, as Your Spirit draws them.  You will honor my faith, weak as it may be at times, that my loved one will turn their heart toward You. May I soon see the fulfillment of Your promise from my faithful prayers. Isaiah comforted and encouraged the faithful when he wrote, “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland” (Isaiah 43:19). That describes the new life in Christ our prodigal will experience. Yes, and amen, Lord.

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Lord, since You sealed me forever as Your child and I became Your follower, sometimes I think I’ve got a target on my back. When You chose me, You knew what You were getting—a most flawed and imperfect human. Despite my broken state, You welcomed me into Your kingdom. Although You soundly defeated the enemy’s power over me by Your cross and resurrection, the devil refuses to go down without a fight. If there is one thing about the devil, he is consistent. Accusing me of sins, past and present. Pointing his boney finger every time I fail in obedience. Non-stop persistence in one temptation after another. It’s enough to make the strongest weary. Are these attacks what Peter described as “suffering” in adversity? (1 Peter 5:9) Nowhere is it written the devil fights fair.

Nonetheless, Your Spirit protects me and assures me I’m not alone. My brothers and sisters in Christ around the world fight the same fights, these attacks of feeling inadequate and unworthy. But You have used these situations since the Garden to overturn the devil’s guilt tables. You use adversity to teach us how to walk closer with You. When we’re facing problems and trials beyond our ability to resolve, who else can we trust but You, Lord, for Your Word promises You work all things for our good. Romans 5 outlines the steps how adversity develops more Christlike character in those You call Yours. You never promised being a Christ-follower would be easy, just rewarding in ways we could not imagine.

I gotta smile. Again, it’s a win-win for us and the devil gets another stompin’!

Stomp, Jesus, stomp! Amen.